Game or educational device ob



(No Model.)

B. E. BLISS. GAME 0R EDUGATIONAL DEVICE OR APPLIANCE.

Patented Oct. 21, 1890.

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87 96 443 .a ATTORNEYS,

TO all whom it may concern:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELEANORA E. BLISS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT COLUMBIA.

GAME OR EDUCATIONAL DEVICE ORAPPLIANCE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 438,757, dated October21, 1890,

Application filed Ma y 26, 1890.

Serial No. 353,274. (No model.)

Be it known that I, ELEANORA E. BLIss, a citizen of the United States,residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Games or Educational Devices orAppliances, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved game or set of devices which canbe used either for amusement or for education, it being intendedespecially for teaching, and providing prac tice in respect to themutual relations of nu mbers of certain classes.

I have illustrated in the drawings and will below describe how myinvention can be ap plied in teaching the ordinary multiplicationtableor in playing a game based upon the numbers involved in such a table.

Figure 1 shows a set of cards or strips of suitable material, as wood,ivory, bone, or the like.

In order to simplify the illustration and description of the device, Ihave limited the basicnumbersto six; but itwillbe understood that anynumber can be used. In practice I have used the numerals 1 to 12,inclusive, they being the basis of the ordinary multiplication-table.The principle involved is the same with the six to which theillustration is limited herein. The said six cards or slips are eachindicated by a or a. Each is provided with a series of numerals, from 1to 6, inclusive, as shown at b, and these numerals are to be treated asmultiplicands when the device is in use. Again, each has a numeral at c,preferably in a space distinguished from that of the numerals at b by adividing-line, as at b, or by being differently colored; or this numeralat 0 can be of a larger size, so as to be readily distinguishable. Thisnumeral at 0 can be considered as a multiplier in relation to themultiplicands at b, and it will be seen that these multipliers alsoextend from 1 to 6, inclusive, regarding the whole set of cards a and a.I prefer to divide that part fer to divide both these compartmentsd d bytransverse lines into as many small spaces as ,there are multiplicands.But as to these details there can be variation, and taste can befollowed in several respects. In fact, the blank compartment d can beomitted and still have the cards adapted to their purpose, as willappear below.

Fig. 2 shows a set of relatively small cards, squares, or disks 6 e ofbristol-board, wood, ivory, or bone. Each of these has a numeral on itsface, as at f, and these numerals constitute a single series of themultiples derivable from the said basic numbers 1 to 6, each one of thetotal aggregate of possible multiples occurring but once.

Fig. 3 shows a second set of small cards, squares, or disks g of anysuitable. material, and each being provided with a number. These numbersare also respectively multiples derivable from the base-numbers l to 6;but this set in Fig. 3 comprises not only one complete series of suchmultiples from 1 to 36, but also duplicates of some of them, the wholenumber comprising all of the multiples possible by permutation andcombination of the base-numbers from 1 to 6. Thus there are two 3s,because of the fact that the product of 1 as a multiplier and 3 as amultiplicand is 3, as it also is when 1 is the multiplicand and 3 themultiplier. For similar reasons there will be four cards or disks, eachwith a 12, two with 20, &c. In order to have these cards or disksreadily distinguishable from those in Fig. 2, they may difier therefromin color or material or form, or the figures may be of different shape.

One of the ways in which the devices I have above described may be usedis the following:

Let it be supposed that the game is to be played by two persons. Firstthe cards or strips act are shuffled or turned upside down and thendivided equally. Fig. 1 shows them in two sets as though thus divided,those of one set being at A and those of the other at B. Then the disksor cards gin Fig. 3 are also shuffled and equally divided. A line ofdivision is indicated in the drawings at h, there being one set at O andone set at 0. Then the cards, disks, or squares 6 (shown in Fig. 2) areeither concealed in aboX or other-v wise, or are turned face down on atable. After the players have obtained, as aforesaid, equal numbers ofthe cards 0L an d of the cards or disks g, one of them draws from thebox or turns up one of the cards or counters e to disclose the numberthereon. As above described, that number will be a multiple of theseries of multiples from 1 to 36, and as soon as it is announced eachplayer should ascertain how many times itis derivable from themultipliers at c and the multiplicands at b on his cards a or a, andafter ascertaining them places in the blank space under eachmultiplicand, which is a factor in the given product, one of the cardsor counters g. If he should not have a number among his counters g suchas is called for and such as he perceives to be required by one of hisblank spaces at d, he is to have the right to call for it from among thecards or counters g of the other player, or, if several are playing,from any one who may have it. As soon as all of the players announcethat they have filled all of the blank spaces noticed by them to requirethe given number another card or counter e is drawn from the box or isinverted on the table and the above-described steps are repeated. Thiscontinues until all of the cards or counters at e have been drawn orturned. After they have all been thus drawn or turned all of the cardsand counters at g should also have been put in place on the cards a, a.If any remain, it is because mistakes have been made by one or more ofthe players, and the player making the mistake is found from the factthat some of the blank spaces at (l on his cards a or a are not filled.

It will be seen that success depends upon quickly perceiving therelations between the several multipliers and multiplicands and theirproducts; and when a large number of cards and counters g are in usebased upon a comparatively long series of numbers, as from 1 to 12 or 1to 20, the game calls for close attention, and can beiused withexcellent results as an instrument of education in the lines for whichit is adapted.

hat I claim is 1. The herein-described game, comprising a set of cards,each having a series of multiplicand -numerals and a multiplier numeralthereon, and a set of cards each containinga number which is amultipleinvolving as factors the multiplier and one of the multiplicands on oneor more of the aforesaid cards, the said second set of cards comprisingduplicate multiples such as aforesaid, as set forth.

2. The herein-described game,having a set of cards, each having a'seriesof multiplicandnumerals and a multiplier thereon, a second set of cards,each containinganumeral which is a multiple derivable from themultiplier and one of the multiplicands on one or more of the cards ofthe aforesaid set, and a third set or list of numbers, eachbeingamultiple such as aforesaid and adapted to have its numbersselected by chance, substantially as set forth.

3. In a game or educational appliance,asct of cards, as at a a, allcontaining the same series of multiplicand numerals and each having adifferent multipliernumeral distinguished from the aforesaidmultiplicand-numerals and a series of blank spaces respectivelycorresponding to said multiplicands, and a second set of cards, eachprovided with a numeral which is a multiple of one of the saidmultipliers and one of its multiplicands, and the numbers 011 the saidsecond set of cards comprising all of the multiples obtainable bypermutation in the way described from all of the said multipliers,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELEANORA E. BLISS.

Nitnesses'.

II. II. Buss, M. 13. MAY.

